What the Wind Left
by Coleseyebrows
Summary: Aya is a heartbroken mother, left to care for her son by the man who swore he loved her. Saisho is the boy seen as an illegitimate son by all those who surround them. Neither of their destinies forms a straight line. Aya constantly wonders where Morro went all those years ago. Saisho doesn't know who he is. But they both know this: You must lean on others to help guide you.
1. Prologue

**Hello, all! I'm rewriting my story called Pieces because I've recognized some discrepancies that annoy me. I've made some changes to characters as well, one will readily be noticed in this chapter. I will try to update this every week! Hope you enjoy!**

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How far had I come? How much further until I reached him? It didn't matter, I supposed; I didn't have much of a choice, I had to climb until I reached the top. Even through the rain and the tears, I still had only one option. So tiredly I climbed, hoping I would reach him. A crash of thunder erupted from above me, and lighting struck repeatedly after it. More thunder, more lightning. I stop for a moment to catch my breath. Reluctantly, I turn around to see if I could still see the village.

I couldn't.

That was a good sign.

The further I was from the village I once called home, the safer I was and the safer my son would be. Silently, I turned to continue my journey. After a few steps, I had to stop to readjust my baby, who was snugly tied to my back. Once I finished with that, I turned to continue. When I look up, a particularly bright fork of lightning flashes, revealing my destination. At the sight of it, I am both revitalized and repulsed. This place was both my only hope, and my only regret.

This had been the home of my beloved, of my former husband. We'd met when we were young, and became close friends over the course of five years. After Sakai passed, he swept in and took me as his wife -a rare occurrence in my home village. If a widow could remarry, she could be redeemed. He had been my best friend, my only friend aside from Sakai at the time.

He would sing me to sleep, he would comfort me, and he took good care of me. He was my sole pillar of support. I relied on him for everything. I never suspected he would leave me. He never showed any desire to run away, especially after our son was born. After so many stillbirths, he was so pleased to be a father. He was overjoyed at the sight of his newborn son's face. It was love at first sight, it could be nothing else.

And now he was gone. When the village discovered that I'd been abandoned, my status as a widow returned and I was no longer accepted, much to the dismay of my mother, who considered me her pride and joy once my father passed. I was all she had remaining of him; and oh how she loved my father… Since I was part of him, she held onto me like I was her only possession. But there was nothing she could do for me. All of her protesting was in vain, she held no power to say weather or not I could remain in the village -that was all up to the Ona, the village priest. If they said leave, you left or stayed and died.

So here I was, out of options, praying that I might find refuge. As the rain poured down, I hiked up my skirt so that I could continue walking. I glanced up again, and saw two torches burning -almost out, but still glowing. The faint light gave me hope. When I finally reached the massive, blood red double doors, my energy returned. I rushed up to them and began pounding on them. "Wu!" I yowled. "Wu, please answer! Wu!" I used one hand to pound on the door, the other to keep my baby from slipping. At the sounding of the knocks, my son woke up and began crying from fright. "Shh, Saisho, shh." I said, still pounding on the door. After a few more moments, I heard heavy footsteps and the click of several locks. My hair slipped into my face, and as I reached to pull it back, Wu appeared. "Wu!"

"Aya? What are you doing out in this weather!" At that, he heard my son crying. "What's happened?"

"I've been run off," I said, trying to keep my wet hair out of my face. "They call me a widow."

Upon hearing this, Wu's face grew mournful and still. "Come," He said, stepping aside to let me into the monastery. Quickly, I made my way inside. By then, I was completely and utterly soaked, as was my son. Wu followed me, eerily quiet, as if he were pondering something. Wordlessly, he slid a door open, looked at me, and motioned for me to follow. I did so. "I'm sorry, my dear." He said quietly.

"For what? this is not your doing." I said, trying to pull my skirt up so I wouldn't get the floor dirty.

"No, but it is my fault that he left." Wu said, sharply turning left, sliding open another door. He motioned for me to come in. "If I hadn't-"

"Mori -I mean Morro- left of his own accord," I said sternly. "You just wanted what was best for him." I said. "It's not your fault that he would not listen."

At that, Wu looked back at me, his eyes dark and melancholy. "You can stay here."

I looked at the room. It was clean and pristine. At the far wall was a small window through which one could peer into the courtyard. Unlike most of the monastery, this room was primarily red, purple and black -colors considered to be evil. Red for revenge and bloodshed, black for death and loss and purple for hatred. "Was this your brother's room?" I ask quietly. I watched Wu as he silently made his way to the dresser at the left hand wall of the room. He opened it and looked through things, seemingly dissatisfied. Slowly, I stepped over to the dresser and pulled out a note, unfolded it and laid it upside down to dry.

"It was." Wu said. As he spoke, he turned and handed me a dark set of robes; they were black with a red and purple trim. These too once belonged to Lord Garmadon. "Get comfortable, I sense you will be here for a long spell."

As much as I wanted this to be wrong, I knew it likely would be a long time before I was able to leave. Wordlessly, Wu disappeared. Once he was gone, I unwrapped my grumpy and uncomfortable son and laid him on the small bed mat at the far left corner of the room. As he lay there, he threw up his balled fists in protest. He lay there whining as I changed into the clean, warm clothing. It was difficult to manage, as the person who once fit into this was twice my size and of stronger build. I picked up my old garments and hung them up to dry. On the opposite side of the room, my child was still making sad noises, waiting for mom to return. I looked around for something to put on him, but there was nothing. So I had to be satisfied with taking him out of wet clothes and carrying him around naked. I picked him up, and with the extra cloth from my new clothing, I fashioned a makeshift carrier for him. I didn't realize until that moment just how cold he had been; but now that he lay against my breast, he was content and warm, thus ceased his whimpering and fell asleep. I stood there a moment, in awe of him. One of my arms was already protectively wrapped around him, but I raised my other hand to his head and ran my hand over his long, thick hair. I leaned down to kiss him, and as I did so, he twisted away from me, as if telling me to cut it out. In only moments, he was completely asleep, and I was free to go off and walk.

I could hear the rain as it struck the roof. I walked quietly and quickly through the monastery, looking for Wu. I found him in the dining room, trying to scrape up enough food for me to eat. When he saw me, he smiled, even though it was clear that he was quite stressed. "Wu, you-"

"Hush," He said. "Sit and eat." So I did. He sat with me, sipping on his tea. After a few tense moments of awkward silence, Wu said, "When did they chase you out?"

"This morning."

"Was it raining then?"

"No," I said quietly. "It didn't start raining until I was near the top." He stared into his drink, as if attempting to scry the future.

His face was dark and morbid, which was very much unlike his normal demeanor. Morro had left two months ago, but already Wu was changed. His face had aged two full years, his hair had begun to gray from stressing and worrying over his former student; small wrinkles had appeared on his face, particularly around his eyes. His face was also not shaved, the stubble made him look older and dirty. He was only 40. "I'm sorry." He said finally.

"Like I said, this is not your fault."

"Aya, you don't understand. This is my fault."

"No, **you** don't understand. Mori was always this way. I remember him once telling me 'People are like the wind. One day, they blow to the east, and the next day to the west. It can not be predicted, and neither can we.' Wu, as the Master of Wind, Morro was more wind-like than most. You know that. He could not be controlled."

"But if I had not told him that it was possible he could be the Green Ninja, then he would not have run off chasing a dream that was just that -a dream." Wu shook his head and ran a hand through his shaggy, unwashed hair. He sighed. "He would not have left you or his son if I had just remained silent."

I pressed my lips together. Morro had promised he would not leave, yet he had.

He'd had potential, so, so much potential. When we were young, he'd gone up to the monastery in hopes of securing something to eat. He'd not just gotten a warm meal, he'd gotten a home and hope. He was grateful for Wu and everything he'd given him, and in return, when Wu found out he had elemental powers, he let Wu train him. He never refused any lesson or training technique; he was an ever obedient student. After a year, Wu regarded Morro as his son and he protected him and treated him as such. After two years, Wu was certain he would be the destined Green Ninja of legend that was destined to save Ninjago from its evil. When Morro found out about this, he too changed. He became hungry; he became hungry for power, for respect; he was desperate to find where he belonged. Even when it became clear that Morro was not the destined savior of Ninjago, he would not give up. Months of non-stop training had taken their toll on him. He scarcely ceased his training. He often had dark circles under his eyes that showed just how relentless he was. He became reckless, relentless and violently ambitious. "I made a grave mistake telling him that there was a chance he could be the Green Ninja."

"You didn't know that he would react this way." I said. "Neither of us had _any_ idea."

Wu covered his mouth with his hand. Then I remembered that I had food to eat, and I started eating. "That may be so, but I should have known the risks."

It was then that my baby had begun squirming. Moments later, he began crying. I carefully took him out of the pouch I'd fashioned from the excess cloth and pulled him down to feed him. I covered him quickly and he soon stopped crying.

Though severely flawed, Morro truly had been a good person. If he came home at night -which became a rarer and rarer treat as the years passed- he was kind and patient; such a vast contrast to when he trained. In any arena, he was ruthless and spiteful. There was no pity in his heart for any of his opponents. He would mercilessly beat them down…

But I loved him regardless. If there was anyone who knew how good Morro truly was, it was me. No one knows a good man better than a good man's wife. When he was smaller, before he began training, he was the kindest and humblest boy I had ever met. He he'd had his fair share of suffering, being the son of a prostitute and a drunk. He'd had many sleepless nights, and days where he'd gone hungry. But I? I'd never known such trials. I was born to a kind family, one who loved me and wanted me. I never went hungry, we were fairly wealthy compared to many of the others in my village.

I closed my eyes and rested my head on one of my hands. "Aya, what is his name?" Wu asked. I looked up, confused. "Your son," He said nodding to the babe at my chest. "What's his name?"

"Saisho." I said quietly. It was a name commonly given to first children, or only children. I'd intended Saisho to be the first of many siblings, not an only child.

"Mm, it suits him." Wu said, taking another long sip of tea. "Both your first, and your only child."

I looked down at my son. Even though he was only two months old, it was clear that he'd look like Morro. His eyes had already turned the same shade of brown, and his hair was the same thick black. His nose would also be that of his father's. I blinked slowly at him and looked up at Wu, who was pouring himself another cup of tea. " You don't know that." I said defiantly.

"I'm sorry?" Wu asked tilting his head up to look at me.

"You don't know that Saisho will be my only child. Morro'll come back once he comes to his senses."

"Perhaps." Wu said in an almost mournful tone. "But I don't count on that. Morro…" He shook his head, either unwilling or unable to continue. After a long and awkward pause I spoke again.

"What kind is it tonight?" I say quietly. "The tea I mean."

"Chai," Wu says just as quietly. "Would you like some?" I nod. Chai was always my favorite kind of tea.

Wu got up and retrieved a teacup and poured some for me. He then wordlessly passed it over to me. Though it was hot, I drank it quickly. "Thank you," I say in a voice that is hardly audible.

"No need to thank me," He said. "I dearly loved your father, it's only right that I love the daughter that was just like him."

I smiled. My father had been wonderful, he truly had. He died almost three years ago from a plague that would periodically take many lives. According to my mother, the red death appeared every fifteen years, give or take one or two years. The fact that my father had been caught and killed by disease was miraculous. Typically, my father could bypass any sickness without it ever touching him. Until three years ago, I had never seen my father get sick. He told me that he'd never once been sick in his life, something I willingly believed; after all, I had never seen my father sick once in my entire life; he never had a headache, fever, stiff muscles, cold or flu. He'd always remained healthy. This was due to his incredibly special ability. Like a few other people in the village, my father possessed a rare trait called an Element. Depending on the element, people could read minds, control fire or water, or do things beyond human capabilities, such as lift a horse off the ground without breaking a sweat. My father's element would always be my favorite. Some could turn their skin into inch thick steel, or freeze water on contact. My father? My father could heal people. That doesn't sound very incredible, I know, but it was beautiful. My father was an apothecary, and a very talented one at that, so his element suited him. Even the most deadly of wounds and ailments were no match for my father. Just a few moments of him laying hands on a person could heal them -so long as he took on whatever ailed them temporarily. He couldn't die from doing this, he would always heal. One thing he could not do, though, was bring people back from the dead. Once they passed, they were out of life's domain. We referred to his element as Life.

I didn't inherit his element. If I had, it would certainly have shown itself by now. Usually, the children of Elementals are born with unusual abilities, like strength for example. Masters of Earth are born naturally strong, stronger than the normal person, but not yet wielding superhuman strength. Like my father, I became an apothecary. He taught me how to use what was around me for medicine so that I could one day take over his place in the village. He wouldn't be there forever after all.

I traced my finger along the rim of the sky blue cup. Even in the dimness of the fading lamplight, it shone beautifully. Slowly, I raised the cup to drink the remainder of my tea. "Here, let me see your cup." Wu said before I could drink everything. Confused, I handed him the cup. He tilted it towards him and looked deeply into it. Only then did it occur to me that he was reading my fortune. "I see a person," He said quietly.

I looked at him skeptically. "A person?" He looked up at me, unphased by my disbelief. "What kind of person?"

"Someone we both know." He said patiently. "He looks very familiar."

"I don't believe that." I said. "Let me see."

Wu waved me over to him and I looked over his shoulder into the cup. "Who does this look like to you."

"Morro." I said. Wu nodded. "What do you think that means?"

"I can't say." Wu murmured. "Perhaps it means you'll see him again."

"Only if he gets what he wants." I say quietly. "There's no way I will see him again, not the way he was."

"This may be true," Wu said. "But it never said that he'd be the same, only that he'd reappear."

I shook my head. "There's no way. He's not going to come back unless he gets what he wants, and what he wants is impossible to reach. He knows that, but he refuses to be wrong."

"I understand." Wu said, gently placing a hand on my shoulder. "But keep your eyes open. You never know." With that, he stood up, took the dishes and put them away. "Now, you should go to sleep." He said when his back was to me. "You've had a rough day." Without hesitation, I got up and rushed back to the room Wu had let me use.

At last I could rest. For the first time in eight hours, I could sleep. I sat down on the edge of the bed mat in the room cross legged and thought. What would happen from here, now that I was safe? Was I safe? I hoped I would be. Wu was a well respected man, very much beloved by the people of our village. If they knew he was housing me, perhaps I would be okay, and Saisho would have some kind of future. If Jamanekai village loved Wu as much as I had observed, then Saisho would not hold my legacy.

I glanced up at the note on the dresser above me. The note was still there, and presumably dry. I stole a quick glance at my baby, and lucky for me, he had stopped nursing, so I could finally lay him down to sleep. After placing him near the head of the bed, I got up and picked up the note. I was so lucky to find that the ink had hardly bled. The note was disfigured and warped from water damage, but intact. For this I was beyond grateful. I had already read it a thousand times, and a thousand times I recalled his promises to me. I was torn between keeping it and burning it. Though it was the last thing Morro had given to me, but it would always be a reminder of his abandonment… I looked it over and over again, looking for anything that I might have missed before, but there was nothing. It was just the same thing…

 _Aya,_

 _There was nothing you could do. I was going to leave eventually. He is wrong, I'm telling you he's wrong. I know you don't believe me either. Well, you'll see. You'll see! And then you'll both apologize to me and you'll be the ones who are wrong! I refuse to be wrong this time. I will find the tomb if it kills me. That will prove it. And when I come home, you'll respect me again. You won't doubt me. You won't think a fool of me… I will matter to you, finally, I will matter to someone. I will come back to you. That you can count on. I will be back for you, so wait for me. Don't let my son be raised by any other man. I will be back._

 _Mori_


	2. Chapter 2

**sorry it took so long for an update. I was working all summer, and had very little time to work on tgis. The next chapter should be up soon.**

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But he never came back. Thirteen years passed and my son grew without a father; only Wu was there to teach him. I suppose that all things considered, Wu was not so bad. Wu had lived many long years and gained wisdom beyond that of any other man alive; Saisho had a good teacher. From Wu, he learned how to read and write -a skill I never successfully grasped; he also learned basic math, language and grammar skills, and Wu even taught him English, all by the time he turned eleven. The village had even let him rejoin them, something I would never be able to have again. But if Saisho was safe, that was all I could ask for. He'd even managed to get an apprenticeship and secure a future for himself as a blacksmith. I savored this. My worst fear for the past thirteen years was that my son would have no future because of me. Now I was at peace.

Just after Saisho's thirteenth birthday, the days started growing in length, and each day was a bit warmer than the last. Spring was approaching us -and very quickly this year. Now was the time to prepare fields for planting to ensure that the crop would be healthy and ready when it needed to be. So began my time to work. The only real jobs that sumia, people who have dishonored themselves, their family or both, were jobs of serious labor. Fieldwork was one of those jobs, as it required tireless work and endless care. The pay was minimal, but it would be enough for us; this work had always provided what we needed.

The fields lay to the south of Jamanekai village near a small neighboring town called Ignacia. It was about two miles from where I lived, counting the arduous walk from the Monastery. We were expected to be there by dawn and did not leave until dusk. We were paid depending on how much soil we tilled, or how much seed was consistently and correctly sown, or how much we harvested. The better you worked, the more you were paid. Once the tilling was done, depending on who owned the field, the workers would bring food or livestock to help fertilize the soil. Some of the field owners also owned herds of livestock, and brought them to the fields so that their waste would enhance the soil. This usually took anywhere from one to two weeks, and once that was finished, we'd till the soil again and prepare it for the specific crop we planned to cultivate.

I was lucky. I worked for people who were -for the most part- trustworthy and and honest. The people who owned the field I worked on were relatives of my late husband, Sakai. They still thought of me as family, and I was grateful for that. They paid me a wage they knew I could live off of, and not one person batted and eye at it because I worked hard enough to make it look like I had earned it. In reality though, they were overpaying me. They didn't seem to mind. After all, Sakai's family was incredibly wealthy. Paying me minimum wage wouldn't even come close to putting a dent in their hoard.

At long last, the tilling and fertilizing was finished, which meant one very important thing, Belte. Belte is a festival that celebrates rebirth, life and fertility. It fell directly between the summer and spring equinoxes, and it was particularly centered around the Nokora, the gods of nature. The cornerstone of this celebration was a fire; massive bonfires were lit to symbolize the sun's return, and the warmth that it provided. Every year, Jamanekai village lit a behemoth of a bonfire in the center of town and danced around it until the sun came up. People danced, sang, ate and drank the night away. Another important part of this celebration, is flowers. Flowers of all kinds were a mark of peace, rebirth and spring. As such, people would walk about with flowers painted on their faces, wear flower crowns, necklaces, bracelets and some would even have them woven into their hair or clothes. This was the most important celebration Jamanekai village ever celebrated. This was the one night of the year where classes didn't matter; this was the one night where everyone was equal; all were welcome to take part in what the gods had provided for them.

Only hours remained until the fire would be lit. "Hold still!" I said, getting frustrated with Saisho.

"I'm sorry," He laughed and twitched away from me.

"You're going to look terrible if you don't stop moving!"

At that, Saisho took a deep breath and kept as still as he could. I dipped my makeshift brush into the green paint and painted the last few details onto his face. This was easily the best I had ever done. My son's face was painted with bright colored flowers that seemed to bloom across his face. Each person in the house is supposed to paint their face with a different flower. I painted what used to be Morro's favorite flower on Saisho's face; the flower was a gale lily. It was a very common flower around Jamanekai village, and it was symbolic to his element, which was typically symbolized by white, light green and light blue. This lily was white with a wide, light blue streak down each petal that gradually faded as it reached the tip of the petal. Over that was a thinner and more faded line of green down the middle of the blue. On the edges of each petal was a light, almost invisible, blue tint. It was a beautiful flower.

I had already painted my face, and the flower I chose was the cherry blossom. Wu had decided to participate this year, unlike the last, where he was too overcome with sickness to join in. This year, he had chosen to have roses painted on his face -an odd choice as roses are thought to attract love. "Are you going to come down tonight, mom?"

"Yes," I said, trying to stay focused on the task at hand.

"Really!?" Saisho gasped loudly, moving just enough to smear the paint.

"Saisho!" I groaned. A streak of blue now cut through two of the flowers on his face. It could be painted over, however, and was salvageable.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He said, settling back down. "But you're not kidding, right? You're actually going?"

I nodded and quietly said yes. From then on, Saisho could hardly keep still. I couldn't blame him; I rarely got to spend holidays and festivals with him due to the fact that I was outcast; this was not uncommon. Outcasts were considered cursed for various reasons, there was not one outcast person that was not seen as such, and the consequences of this were simple, but maintained strictly by the high priests and priestesses -there were three of each that were constantly searching for someone to punish. We were their main targets; once a person was considered an outcast, regardless of the label that made them that way, be the a kurai, riba, sumia, chui, naku or whatever else, we were always their targets. But on days like this, the priestesses and priests could not tell who was who, and we were safe to return for one night of the year. So there would be many of us wandering around, celebrating, dancing and whatever else people wanted to do on this night. We would have to be careful, however. Just because classes didn't matter on this night, that didn't mean that the cursed were no longer cursed."Will we be there for the lighting?"

"If we hurry, then yes."

"Ah! Really?" He didn't jump from excitement this time, but he was so happy; I could see it in his eyes.

After a few more electric moments, his face was finished. "Let's go! Let's go!" Saisho said excitedly, a bright grin spreading across his face. Immediately, Saisho jumped up and started sprinting towards the courtyard.

"Hey, wait!" I quickly got up and Saisho stopped and looked back at me. "We have to clean up and bring offerings, you know that!" I said, quickly picking up the paint and brushes.

"We can get offerings down in the village!" Saisho said.

"It's tradition to bring from home." I said gently, walking out to meet him. "Wu!" I called. "Where are you? Saisho and I are going to leave soon!"

"I will meet you in the village! I have things yet to do!" Wu called back, from what I assume was his room. I peeked in, and saw him reading another letter. Over the past couple of months, Wu had been writing to someone, but he wouldn't tell me who.

"Who are we offering to?" Saisho asked. It was a valid question.

Every year, we offered to a different family member who has passed away, and a deity. I always choose the family member, Saisho chooses the deity. This year, I chose to leave offering to Sakai, and Saisho chose Riaru, the goddess of justice, meaning offering would be easy on us. Before Saisho and I left, I plucked one of the sticky buns I had made earlier for Sakai, and Saisho broke a gale lily from its stem, and we then made our way down the steps of the monastery.

Not too far down, we were joined by Wu, who had finally gotten a move on. "I feel that from this night on, things will be very different."

"I don't follow," I said. Sunset was steadily approaching, and the first stars were steadily growing in brightness.

Wu looked up. "Look, which star is brightest now?"

I looked up. "No star, Sensei." I said, pausing to gaze at the planet. "That's Uranus."

"Yes," Said Wu, continuing on to catch up to Saisho, who was sprinting down the mountain. "Rebellion."

I started after him, wondering what he could have meant. Who would rebel? The Black Rebellion had ended not a year ago, and Heian seemed to be at peace with itself for once in its long and desolate history. Surely there couldn't be another on the way. "Aya," Said Wu once Saisho was a considerable distance away. "Something evil is on its way." He said as I caught up to him. "And I fear that there may be nothing I can do to stop it."

"What do you mean? Are the rebels on the move again?"

"I doubt that." Said Wu plainly. "No, this will be something far more sinister."

"Quit being vague, Wu," I prompted. "What is going to happen?"

Wu looked at me, worry paining his dark eyes. "My brother," Wu said. "I fear that he will attempt to break free of the prison that is the Underworld."

"You can't be serious…" I say breathlessly. "Wu he's been gone for-"

"Twelve years, yes." Said Wu with a nod. "But Garmadon is cunning and resourceful. There have been rumors of Sulkin wandering about on the surface."

"There can't have been."

"There could have," Said Wu patiently. "Do not be so quick to dismiss my brother or his corrupt ambitions," Wu said gravely. "He will do anything to attain power -be it stealing, selling out those he claimed as friends or spilling blood- my brother…" Wu paused for a moment. "My brother will be back -and soon."

"What do we do then?" I ask.

"I've been thinking about that, Aya, and I've decided that I need to take on more students."

"Are you sure?" I ask tentatively. "But what if it ends the same way it did with Morro?"

"I'm willing to take that risk; I can't let my brother return. I have already found a young man who holds great potential. He is the descendant of Ainalani Keli'i, the first Master of Earth."

"Really? How are you certain?"

"When we met, he told me he had just lost his mother; I asked him what his mother's name was. He said Ainalani."

"In Eastern Ninjago, Ainalani is a popular name." I say. "There must be more to convince you."

"He looks exactly like his mother, feature for feature, especially his eyes."

"If you're sure, I will not dispute you." I say in submission.

"Aya, don't worry, I can tell you're worried."

"I'm just afraid about what might happen."

"I understand." Wu said softly. "He will be coming tonight, Aya. Don't be afraid, he is a good man."

I nod, and we continue walking. By the time we reached the town center, the Ona were bringing out torches to light the bonfire. Once it caught, it grew at least fifteen feet high. From there, shouts of excitement emanated from what felt like every mouth in the village. People began drinking and dancing, and many -including myself once I found Saisho- went toward the temple to give offerings.

The Temple towered over all of the other squat little buildings in Jamanekai. It was an off shade of white with a black roof, and a red trim. It had no windows, but large, grand maple doors that were dyed to the soft shade of cherry colored wood. The doors were nearly ten feet high with intricate carvings of mythical beasts, heroic men, and kind women. The inside was spacious and quiet. Two Ona -female priests specifically- walked about the room in a graceful manner, lighting candles and incense as they went; their hair was covered by a headdress and they wore long white gowns that nearly touched the floor.

The inside of the temple was a little darker feeling than the outside. Tall columns of dark stained wood reached thirty feet high and met the balcony of the second floor, which wrapped all the way around the room. There were sliding doors at the far end of the room, there were sliding doors which marked entrances to the quarters of the Ona and Onan -the priests. Small statues of silver, bronze and gold and wood stood on alters that peppered the room at precise intervals. At a few, offerings had already been made by the inhabitants of the temple. If one looked up, they would see sky, as a lovely skylight rested in the center of the temple's ceiling.

It was there -at the entrance to the temple- that I saw him; he was coming into town dressed in dark colors -meaning he stood out badly in the middle of the festival, whose partygoers wore bright yellows, greens and golds. When people saw him, they avoided him on two counts. The first was his dark and ominous clothing -he wore primarily black, which typically symbolized death; this was beyond taboo on a holy day such as this. He wore orange as well, which somewhat lessened the impact of the black (Orange was a traditional symbol of money, wealth and success.) The second count, was his skin. Ever since Garmadon was banished to the Underworld, dark skin has been feared here. Even in the glow of the distant firelight, one could see that he was not pale as the rest of the people in Jamanekai were. This was likely the primary reason people formed a path around him wider than was necessary. In the darkness the man looked morbid and fearsome. Not only was he of dark complexion, he was very tall -maybe six and a quarter feet- which gave him a sort of intimidation factor. Children stared up at him as they passed, while men and women avoided contact and gave him a wide berth.

He looked bewildered, like he was looking for someone, but he didn't know who. A large bag was strung across his shoulder and came to rest at his hip. He looked lost; he didn't know where he was going, that much was clear to anyone. He kept turning in place, looking back and forth, constantly searching, but never finding what he was looking for. "Mom, come on!" Said Saisho with a sigh. "We have to go in before it's too crowded!"

And with that, I turned to go inside. Luckily for us, Riaru's altar was one of the less popular altars this year, so even though we were late, we would have the chance. Traditionally, sacrifices and offerings were burned, but due to the close proximity of all the people, and the large amount people, it was too dangerous, and was not allowed. The Ona and Onan continuously circled the temple to make sure that people were not doing this. They instructed us to just leave our offerings on the alter with our names beside them or under them, and they would pray on our behalf.

When Saisho and I emerged from the temple, the man was gone. Part of me felt guilt for not helping him, but the other half of me said that I did the right thing; if I had associated with him, people would think even less of me, should they somehow find out who I was -then Saisho would be in trouble. This superstition -the superstition of darkened skin- is so strong, that he could lose his apprenticeship. So in my mind, I did the best thing for me and for my son. Upon reaching the center of town, where the bonfire was, I realized that Wu was no longer with us; I hadn't even realized he was gone -apparently Saisho didn't either and was just as surprised as I when we came to this realization. But this wasn't cause for concern; Wu was well liked by the village, even if I wasn't, and could take care of himself; and if he couldn't you could bet your life that someone else would. So naturally, we didn't feel the need to look for him.

But it was late, at least it was late for Saisho. So we decided to go home. It couldn't have been earlier than midnight by the time we reached the outskirts of town. Just as we were about to start climbing up to the Monastery, someone called out to us. Saisho and I turned to see who it could have been; I didn't recognize the voice, and their speech seemed slurred (but that could have been from drink -drinking was a staple in this holiday.) But it was no man I knew. In fact, it was the man that we had seen earlier that night -the newcomer, the one wearing all black. As he approached, I whispered to Saisho, "Go home, **now**. I don't want anyone seeing you near him." And with that, Saisho took off up the stairs to the Monastery.

The man spoke rapidly in a language I couldn't understand. Though the language he spoke was rhythmic and musical, it did nothing to soothe me. "I can't understand you," I said.

He sounded like he was pleading for something, like he needed help finding something. He looked just as confused as he had the last time I had seen him. He continued to talk, but slower, hoping I would understand him. When it became evident to him that I had no idea what he was saying, he looked beyond deflated. He then opened his bag and dug around in it. He pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper and held it out to me. I took it reluctantly. I read through it, not understanding a word. But then I saw the signature.

 _-Wu._

This was the man that Wu told me would come tonight. This was his new student. I handed the note back to him, and said, "I know where Wu is, come with me, I can take you to him."

It was apparent that the only word he understood was 'Wu'. I tried telling him again, but he didn't know what I was saying. We went back and forth, trying to grasp each others words before a voice I _did_ know called out to me. "Aya, what are you doing!?" I jumped and whipped my head in the direction of the voice. Kai was about twenty feet away underneath an archway that opened up into an alleyway. "Aya, come on! Can you not see? He's -he's… Aya!"

Kai was right -as he usually was. Kai is a member of Sakai's family, which meant he was among my four living family members. He was my closest male relative, meaning I had to consult him on things, such as family, by law. Kai was okay with this, and I was as well. Kai didn't often take me seriously, nor did I him, so we agreed to mostly pretend to ask each other for advice. This was different. "Aya, if someone sees you with him-"

"I know, Kai! But he's looking for Wu! Wu told him to come!"

"W- Wu? What?"

"Wu asked him to come. I will take him to the Monastery. No one will know. You won't tell them, will you?"

Kai glanced at the man behind me. He turned back to the village, then back to us. "No. I won't." He said. And with that, he turned to leave. "Be careful, Aya." Kai called behind him.

I tuned back to the man, and waved my hand, motioning for him to follow. He did. When we reached the Monastery, Saisho and Wu were already there. When I entered, they both turned to look at me. Saisho's face was frozen between curiosity and horror, and Wu gave a warm and welcoming grin upon seeing the man. Wu rushed up to us and spoke kindly to the stranger in the same language I did not know. I went and sat down with my son. By this time, he had washed the paint off of his face, returning it to its natural porcelain color. He looked like a ghost with jet black hair and nearly white skin. Saisho watched the conversation between Wu and the man closely. "He's staying here, mom?" Saisho asked.

"I don't know. I don't know what they're saying."

"I do. They're speaking English." Saisho said. "He's staying with us."

"Hmm." I murmured, pressing my lips together.

And he did stay.

His name was Cole Ainalani.

From that day forward, my life was changed forever.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi, all! I'm pretty surprised with how quickly I got this chapter out. I'm really excited with how the story's progressing. Can't wait to continue it soon! Hope to see you keep reading it!**

 **~Love**

* * *

Cole wouldn't be the only student that Wu took on. As time passed, he brought two others. The first was a young man named Jay Walker, who was near Cole's age and was said to be the Elemental Descendant of Lightning. Of this I was skeptical. Lightning was an Element said to have died off, as Luna Gordon had never had a child that survived past one year -or so my father had told me. When I was around eleven, word spread that she had died giving birth to a boy who had not survived the night. The boy's father, Cliff Gordon, had disappeared and wasn't heard from for nearly seven years, and even then, Jay was nowhere in sight. If he really was the child of Luna Gordon, his father did not raise him. But here he was, alive, seemingly healthy, and in good spirits.

He had a soft shade of auburn hair and bright, electric, blue eyes. He was very attractive, and he seemed to know as much. Down in the village, numerous girls would stop what they were doing and watch him as he passed. This neither went to his head nor did this influence his actions. This boy was a gentleman at heart; he was patient, kind and compassionate. He hated seeing anyone suffer -unless of course they rightfully deserved it, in which case he gladly let it go. He was punctual, thoughtful and obedient. He kept his temper under his thumb, and he had a good sense of humor. He was also very responsible. Perhaps his only downside was that he was short. He stood at 5' 4'' tall, meaning he was two inches smaller than me. He was also leanly built, with only a little bit of extra muscle, which made him weaker than Cole, but many times faster. He could outrun anyone who walked the earth.

Cole was just as benevolent as Jay. He had a strong work ethic; he constantly strove to better himself in any way he could. Like Jay, he was punctual and had an entertaining sense of humor. But his similarities to Jay went even further than that. He was the gentlest person I had ever known, and he too was very beautiful. He had loose curly, black hair, and deep, dark brown eyes. His face was a fine mixture between rectangle and oval, and he stood over six feet tall, meaning he towered over both Jay and myself.

Both Jay and Cole were good company, and I was glad to have them. The Monastery could be a lonely place when the same three people continuously rotated in and out of it. But as wonderful as I thought they were, neither could compare to the third student Wu brought home. His name was Zane. He had no last name, or so he said. He was about Cole's height, but just a bit taller. He was built similarly to Jay; he had just a bit of muscle fill, but was mostly lean and built for stealth. He was quiet and observant, and he listened before he spoke. He chose his words carefully, and his speech was eloquent and soft. I was also surprised to find that Zane could speak Gengo fluently. It was Zane that taught me to read and to write English over many arduous months. And since he was fluent in my native tongue, he taught me how to write in it. Like Jay, many young girls in the village found Zane to be beautiful, and some had even written love letters addressed to him (And he hadn't the faintest idea as to what to do with them). He looked similar to the description of a demigod written in Heian folklore named Muryo. Because of this, people were drawn to him. He, however, could not have liked this less. Though kind and gentle, Zane was very awkward, and he didn't always know how to interact with others. He tried, he really did, but he just couldn't pick up on the subtle hints and social queues dropped in conversation. Likewise, he rarely understood jokes and he never told them. A girl may have been attracted to him for his appearance, but once Zane opened his mouth, they were immediately put off, and like Zane, didn't know what to do from there.

It was like he didn't understand people, thus he avoided them if he could. It wasn't that he didn't like people, he did, it was just that he would rather not look like a fool and child in front of everyone when he didn't know how to reply to a sarcastic comment. He often left the social aspect of his chosen path to Jay.

Not only was Zane awkward, but he was also very strange. He would laugh at inappropriate times, get confused over sarcastic or witty jokes, and he would not, under any circumstance, speak of his past. Only a few times did anyone ever ask, and every time Zane would say, "I do not wish to speak of it," and the conversation would end.

For a good deal of time, I thought Zane might have been born a little slower than most, or that he, perhaps, had been born incorrectly. I never mentioned this, not even to Wu, as I know he would have scolded me for it. But still, I wondered. He didn't seem to have the defects that the other children whose mothers had a rough labor. Zane was elegant, light-footed and agile. Those children stumbled and many times, couldn't stand on their own. It broke my heart to see them live this way… It was a disease that not even my father could have cured. But Zane did not act as they did. He was just… Different. But he was a very good different.

All three of them showed themselves to be good people; Cole was a gentle leader, Jay was a playful mediator, and Zane was a faithful supporter. The traits of the three worked in harmony with each other, and it became clear straight away that this was a match made in heaven. This team was a special cloth woven together by destiny. And the three took to each other immediately as well. They became inseparable and were together much of their time (with Zane struggling to find his place among them.) I would have loved to have been with them more in these early days, but Zane was the only one of them that I could successfully communicate with; until I became proficient in English, I lived with three friends and two strangers. Their presence was accepted, but for months, I didn't truly know Jay or Cole. But Once I could understand them, oh boy. Everything got more intense. I understood Jay's jokes, I got Cole's sarcasm. I understood them for the first time in our entire relationship, and it was wonderful. Have I yet mentioned that Jay screamed a lot?

Because he did.

And Saisho, oh Saisho couldn't have been more thrilled with the presence of these three men. I say men, but they were really just teenagers at the time. Cole was the oldest at sixteen. Zane was fifteen, and so was Jay. By the time they arrived, Saisho was thirteen. He was just three years younger than the oldest member of this team. Since this was the case, he got along with Jay and Cole well, but like most other people, found Zane too odd to become too close to. They were just too different. But Saisho and Jay were practically cut from the same tree, and they got into all sorts of trouble. They pulled pranks on the stall owners of the market square -things like firecrackers under cabbage and leek vendors' wares. Saisho never caused major problems whilst in Jay's company, however, they did some fairly questionable things. Only once did I catch them stealing, and after forcing them to eat a plate full of plain rice covered in natto (a food that made Saisho severely sick to his stomach, and luckily evoked the same reaction from Jay) and black licorice sauce, then having them clean the entire Monastery from top to bottom, they never did anything like it again. I still believe that it was Saisho's idea because Jay never really liked causing that much trouble. Of course, there must be some leniency, Saisho was only thirteen.

But that was the problem. The more time Saisho spent with these people, the more I could see his father in him. Around this time, that I noticed something changing in my son. His face was losing its roundness, his eyes weren't as wide, and they began sparkling with mischief, just like his fathers did. His grin became lopsided and eerie in appearance. He grew taller -three inches taller than me in only three weeks… His personality began changing as well. He became more sarcastic over time, and he also became more mischievous. But perhaps the most shocking thing was that his hair was beginning to change color. Not all of it was changing, though, only a small streak on the right side of his head. Slowly, it began changing from black to green. I knew what that meant, and Wu would as well. Saisho had inherited his father's element. He would become the next Master of Wind.

Once I was sure about what I had seen, I began panicking. Though Zane, Cole, and Jay had only been here for a few months, their effects were becoming evident. Saisho began taking interest in their newly found craft. He wanted to learn Spinjitzu as well. He watched the three as they trained with Wu, and he would often try to recreate something they had just learned. He talked about it for hours when Jay, Zane, and Cole weren't around.

I didn't know what to do. I was so afraid that all Saisho needed was a nudge in the right direction, and he would eventually become his father. I couldn't bear to lose my son. He was all I had. So whenever he asked if he could join them, or if I overheard him ask Cole or Jay or Zane to show him how they 'did that last awesome thing,' I told him to sit down and be quiet, so as not to disturb them. I would not let him train. I couldn't. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that if Saisho became his father, it would be my fault…

He couldn't have been unhappier with this. He begged me to just let him watch the three train. It reached a point where not even that was permissible. Naturally, Saisho grew resentful. Gradually, he talked to me less and less. His spirits diminished, and he became more irritable. The situation not only dragged Saisho down, but it also brought the others down as well. Since Saisho was grouchier, he did not want to entertain Jay anymore. He didn't talk to Cole or Wu, and he certainly didn't listen to Zane, "The stupid orphan" anymore. In fact, he began heavily picking on Zane -despite Zane being older than Saisho. Zane was patient through it, but it did upset him. Saisho seemed to be correct in his assumption that Zane did not have a family, and he tore Zane apart for it. Zane's patience could only stretch so far. It was here and now that I saw Morro -the worst of Morro- showing up in my son.

One night I came home to Saisho harassing Zane as he sat silently eating plain white rice. He glanced over at me, gave a little smile in greeting, and returned to eating. Saisho, however, ignored me. He continued on, not giving me a second glance -or even a first glance.

He wanted my attention.

The boy hurled insults like rocks in a sling, and he had an unbelievably good aim. And he knew it. Saisho -once he was through verbally abusing Zane- began physical abuse. He'd shove Zane, as well flicked him, and, occasionally, Saisho would kick him. He didn't kick or hit him enough to really hurt him, but you could see by the look on Zane's face that his patience was wearing thinner and thinner, until finally, Saisho got what he deserved.

Saisho had begun walking about Zane in a half circle pattern, spitting insults as he went. As he went behind Zane, he aimed a kick at his lower back -one that would hurt. Mid kick, fast as lightning, Zane grabbed him by the ankle and pulled. Saisho's free leg fell from under him, and he landed flat on his back. He hit the ground hard. And before he knew what was happening, Zane had flipped him on his back and pulled both of his arms behind him. His left foot was planted firmly against his back. If Saisho were to move, his shoulder would dislocate. Zane's face was only vaguely warped by anger. As usual, his face remained less expressive than a normal person. But it would be clear to anyone just how furious Zane was. It was at that moment that Zane let go of Saisho. "Do not bother me again," He said lowly.

He turned to leave, and that's when he remembered I was there. His eyes grew wide, and he stopped dead in his tracks. I walked around him, grabbed Saisho by his arm and pulled him up. "I hope this will not happen again," I spat furiously at my son in Gengo. I pulled him towards the room we shared and roughly sat him down. "Saisho, you are a thirteen-year-old. By this time, you'd be nearly ready to marry, and yet a four-year-old has more maturity!"

"Mom, I-"

"Silence!" I yelled. "Zane did nothing to you, and you go and make him so mad that he had to fight you to make you leave him alone?" I shook my head and paced back and forth. "Zane is the most patient and gentle person I have ever known, and you, somehow, have managed to infuriate him! I have never been so disappointed in you. I am so ashamed of you!" My face burned with rage. "I did not raise you to be some kind of brutal thug," I snapped. "I can't believe you!" I stopped and stared at my son, whose head was hung. At the moment, I felt nothing but hatred. I couldn't see my baby boy anymore… I could only see Morro. The streak of green in Saisho's hair sickened me. But I knew I couldn't dye it away. I couldn't cut it off. The way he sat was reminiscent of his father too. His shoulders were back, his back straight, his hands were clenched into fists. His cheeks were red from anger and embarrassment. As of now, he wore the same dark green robes that were once his father's. I had never wanted to get rid of them this badly before. "I will not have my son," I said slowly. "Act like the father that abandoned him. Get your act together. This is not my son. I have lost him in the midst of his anger, his hatred and his jealousy. It is up to you to decide whether or not I can find him again."

With that, I left him there. When I walked out of the room, Zane was standing there. His face was glazed with worry and sadness. He opened his mouth to speak, closed it again, opened it, shook his head, closed it again, and finally, once he was sure he had no words to say, dropped to his knees. He held his hands palm up and hung his head. It was a traditional apology. "I'm sorry," he said in a nearly inaudible whisper. "I-I don't know what came -what came over me. I was so angry, I have no excuse." He sounded calm, but shaky at the same time. "I beg for your forgiveness."

At the sight of his tears, I crumbled. All of my anger and disgust fell away at the sight of his thoughtful apology. I knelt down in front of him and drew his hands to the ground. "You were provoked," I said. "This has been going on for far too long, we both know it. It was about time you put it to an end."

Zane looked up (well once I knelt, he had to look down at me, but still) looking confused. "Are you not upset with me?" He asked.

"I am," I said balling up my sleeve to wipe away his tears. "But suffice to say that that Saisho got what was coming to him." Zane still looked upset. I got up. "Don't worry, all will be fixed in time," I said, ruffling his hair (like I did Saisho's) as I walked by.

From then on, Zane and Saisho were much like brothers; they had the same dynamic that Wu and Garmadon once did. From then on, I gained a second son.

* * *

 **So, just so this doesn't sound weird, I'm going to explain the last bit of the chapter.**

 **At this point, Zane still thinks he is human. For all intent and purpose, I chose fifteen, meaning that he believes he is about 2 years older than Saisho, and that's all. Saisho is 13 right now. Aya had Saisho when she was sixteen, (the whole marriage thing will be explained in future chapters. It'll make sense later) and with the culture that prevails (In my mind!) in Jamanekai Village, a girl is typically married at 14-16 years old. So as far as the village and its culture is concerned, Aya is easily old enough to be Zane's mother. Right now, Aya is 29. Also, just to clarify, a mother child bond -in this culture- is among the purest type of relationship one can engage in. So, that's why I chose to say that Zane and Aya have a mother-child relationship. And Zane may not be the only "child" she gains in the story ;)**

 **See ya soon,**

 **~Love**


	4. Chapter 4

Saisho's Point of View

If you didn't already know it, I'm a bit of a hot-head. As well as my mother tries to take discipline me, I don't take well to it. I'm not a monster or anything, I don't kill cats and steal for fun, or anything that murderers and thieves do. I just, well… I just don't like being told what to do. One of the few things my mother's told me about my father, is that he was the exact same.

I refuse to let you act like the father that abandoned you.

I have never been so disappointed in you.

I am ashamed of you.

I dwelled on those words a bit longer than I thought I would. I was sorry. As much trouble as I cause, I still love my mother. I didn't want to disappoint her, so naturally, I was ashamed of myself as well. But at the same time, I had a sense of pride to uphold. I wasn't going to apologize to Zane. The Cursed Realm would freeze over before I ever did that. My mother knew that -she knew me, but even so, she forced me in front of that perfect kid she loved so much, and forced the words out of my mouth; my face was on fire. I must have looked so stupid. Compared to Zane I was a garden gnome. He was like 6' 6'' tall, and I -the freaking pixie- am only 5' 9''. It was embarrassing to have to look up at him and his annoyingly calm face to apologize to him. I guess I deserved it. Mom's only trying to teach me a sense of justice, but still. She just doesn't understand… I will not let my son act like the father that abandoned him. How was I supposed to avoid acting like my father if I didn't even know his name?

I don't know anything about him. My mom hates talking about him. Wu doesn't say anything about him either because my mother didn't want me to know anything about him. The only thing I know for certain about my father is this: he was the Elemental Master of Wind. I got my Element from him. When the green streak in my hair appeared, my mother was borderline forced to explain to me where it came from.

When I asked my mom to tell me more about him, more than just why he and I had a green streak in our hair, she looked back at me, a really sad look on her face. "H-he..." She took a deep breath. "He was very ambitious." She said. "It was one of his best traits… Until he let it take him over." She turned around, walked over to the dresser by the foot of the bed and opened the drawer.

He pulled out a piece of paper. It looked old, and it was yellowing around the edges. It was wavy like it had gotten wet or something. "He wrote this to me before he left. Decide what you will from it." She said handing it to me.

My dad's handwriting was really bad. It was like he learned to write just so he could write this. His education was obviously not his top priority. He sounded furious. "What didn't you believe him about?" My mother tensed up when I asked.

She sighed and sat beside me. "Your father, he… He wanted something, and he wanted it badly. He worked so hard for it, he spent all of his time perusing it. When he was fifteen, Wu told him that he could be the Green Ninja." Involuntarily, my jaw dropped slightly. I knew that story, the story of the Green Ninja… The one said to save Ninjago from its evil… "And he… He changed." My mother looked me dead in the eye. "A darkness grew in him… He became relentless, vicious, merciless in battle. He hurt a lot of people, a lot of kids his age too..." For a moment, my mom stopped. She looked so sad. "But he, he wasn't the Green Ninja, and when he found out about it, he was furious." She said. "He became even more reckless, more irrational. He tried to prove Destiny wrong." She said. "He broke. He broke emotionally and mentally. He became angry, he became violent. He became irresponsible and he blamed Wu for the fact that he was not the Green Ninja..." My mom sighed. She looked at me. She seemed a bit less sad. Did she see him in me?

"So why'd you marry him? Sounds about as appealing as vinegar."

My mom shrugged. "He wasn't like that until he found that he could be the Green Ninja." She said. "Before then, he was obedient, patient and observant..." Her corners twitched into a tiny smile.

"But that's why you wouldn't let me train? With the Ninja? You thought I'd be like him?" My mom nodded. "Why didn't you just tell me that!?"

"I was afraid. And after what you did to Zane-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I said quickly, "We don't need to talk about that,"

"I thought some of his traits were rearing their heads in you..." She said. "I was panicking." I sighed, annoyed. That isn't fair! Why did she just say that? "Oh, Saisho," My mom said, running her fingers through her hair when I looked away from her. "You are so much like him… Your face, your height, your hair… But all I pray for is that you didn't inherit his fatal flaws. I love you so much. I couldn't imagine life without you. I don't know what I would do If I lost you the same way I lost your father. I'm sorry for not telling you."

For two weeks, I served my punishment… I didn't argue when I did my chores -something that had become borderline ritual throughout my life. I tried to keep quiet. I didn't know how much pain my father had caused people. My mom had said that Wu had deeply loved my father as his own son, and his disappearance had broken his heart and mind. It had taken months for him to recover. He only snapped out of his stupor when my mother showed up with his tiny baby in her arms begging for help.

With all that I was, I refused to be like my father.

During my punishment, things changed quickly. The Ninja were sent away so that Wu could train a fourth student. And if I'm honest, I don't think he could have chosen a worse candidate.

Kai Ray was the boy he picked.

I was literally right in front of Wu's face and ready to train, but he chose my impulsive, arrogant, childish cousin.

Kai was, unfortunately, part of my family. His father and my grandfather were brothers. My grandfather was obviously the older of the two and had children way before Kai's father. According to my mom, my grandfather was born sixteen years before Kai's father, and there were plenty of siblings between the two. Tomoya -my grandfather- was the eldest, and Ray, Kai's father, was the second youngest. By the time Ray was even born, Tomoya was married to my grandmother. But just because we were closely related, didn't mean we were good friends.

He and I had never gotten along. We'd always been at each other's throats. That's how it's been for as long as I can remember. We're only two years apart, but he acts like he's so high and mighty. Just because his parents died at the same time… He pretends like he is better than me, but he isn't. In our home, he's just as much of an illegitimate child as I am. If anything, he's worse. At least I have a mother. All he has is Nya- a bratty and overconfident thirteen-year-old sister. Every word that comes from either of their mouths is garbage. All they do is embarrass themselves -and their Father's name. They both knew I thought as much.

Not even for a moment could we spare each other the rod. The moment he walked into the Monastery, a spark of hatred was lit. We didn't fight immediately -and we were careful to avoid an argument if Wu or my mom was present. They would have punished us immediately. But both of us were prone to confrontation, and in all honesty, we both loved to fight.

"Hey, greenie!" Kai snickered, pretending what he said was in any way offensive. I guess it was, just a bit. I reached up and covered the streak of green in my hair with my hand.

But this was just the start. If anything my mother has told me is true, I got my sharp tongue from my dad, and whenever he acted this way, I was quick to snap back. Truth be told, few things made me happier than roasting someone.

"At least my dad gave me his Element. What did your dad give you, scarface? It obviously wasn't common sense." Each reaction was the same. The corners of his mouth would twitch down in a scowl, his eyes would narrow. The scar that cut across his face warped as his face did. It was one of my favorite things. From here, he'd go silent or start a fist fight. I usually hoped for the latter.

Today was my lucky day. "Take it back!" He howled as he launched himself halfway across the courtyard at me. He managed to grab me just below my arms and nearly managed to throw me to the ground. The solution to this problem was simple: his hair was right in front of me. So, naturally, I grabbed a handful of it and pulled back hard enough to grab his head and put him in a headlock. From there, Kai pushed forward and threw me to the ground. I still had him by the neck, but he got me down. With great difficulty, I struggled to roll him underneath me, and after a few unsuccessful attempts, I got him onto his stomach. He didn't stop struggling for a second, but there wasn't much he could do with me holding him by the neck. I grabbed his wrist and pulled it behind him and twisted his arm into an angle that would dislocate it if he moved too suddenly -even when I get the snot kicked out of me, I pick things up. That was the same hold Zane used on me. He had to tap out.

Saisho: 1

Kai: 0

Of course, I got punished for this too, but it was worth it.

I guess I was a bit like my dad, whether I wanted to be or not.


End file.
